Convertible desk

ABSTRACT

A TWO-POSITION CONVERTIBLE DESK HAVING A PANEL UNIT WHICH CAN BE RAISED TO PROVIDE PRIVACY FOR INDIVIDUAL LEARNING SITUATIONS AND LOWERED TO RETRACT DIVIDER PANELS FOR GROUP LEARNING SITUATIONS. THE PANEL UNIT INCLUDES A REAR PANEL WHICH SERVES AS A SCREEN WHEN THE PANEL UNIT IS RAISED, AND WING PANELS WHICH DIVIDE THE DESK INTO TWO WORKING AREAS WHEN THE PANEL UNIT IS RAISED. WHEN THE PANEL UNIT IS LOWERED, THE REAR PANEL EXTENDS THE WORKING AREA OF THE DESK, AND THE WING PANELS RETRACT NEARLY OUT OF THE WAY.

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References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS when the panel unit is raised.When the panel unit is lowered, the rear panel extends the working areaof the desk, and the wing panels retract nearly out of the way.

PATENTEDJUNZEHBYI 3.588.210

SHEET 1 0F 2 INVENTORS JOHN DES MARAIS ROGER A.S]NIGOI PATENTEDJUNZSIHYI SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTORS JOHN DES MARAIS ROGER A. SINIGOICONVERTIBLE DESK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the interest ofconserving space in crowded classrooms, there are advantages inproviding desks which will seat more than one person. Modern classroomteaching techniques make it desirable to provide a desk which affordsprivacy for individual students in individual learning situations, andwhich can be convened to afford unrestricted visibility and access intotal group learning situations. The desk should also accommodate use oflearning aids such as projectors, recordings, and the like.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a two-position desk with a swingable panel unit which dividesthe desk into two private working areas when the panel unit is raised,and which can be retracted easily to remove all obstructions from thetop of the desk.

Another object of the invention is to provide a two-position desk with apanel unit having a rear screen panel and three wing panels whichproject forwardly from the rear panel, all arranged such that the panelunit can be retracted out of the way when desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a panel unit for atwo-position desk having a rear panel which forms a rear extension ofthe desk top when the panel unit is in a lowered or retracted position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a two-position desk witha panel unit which afiords relatively great privacy by means ofcontoured recesses in the desk which allow students to enter into theworking area confined by the panel unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a two-position desk with apanel unit which can be lowered against the resistance of a closerdevice to prevent the panel unit from slamming.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the followingdescription and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification wherein like referencecharacters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

On The Drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a two-position desk in accordance withone embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the desk of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the desk taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2,the panel unit of the desk being shown in a lowered position in solidlines and in a raised position in dashed lines;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the desk taken along line 44 ofFIG. 1, the panel unit being shown in a lowered position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the desk similar to FIG. 1, but thepanel unit being shown in a raised position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of the rear of the desk.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practices or carried out in various ways. Also,it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

As shown on the drawings:

A two-position convertible desk 10 as illustrated in the drawingsincludes a rectangular frame 12 which is supported at writing level fortwo seated students by means of floor-engaging legs 14. There are threesets of legs 14, as shown, with two legs being provided at each end ofthe desk and two additional legs being provided at the middle of thedesk. The rectangular frame 12 includes a front support 16, two sidesupports 18 and 20, and a rear support 22. These supports may be simplywooden boards secured together at the corners of the desk in the usualfashion. Two additional cross supports 24 are provided at the middle ofthe desk for additional support (see FIG. 4). The legs 14 are fastenedas by screws 26 between the two support boards 18, the two supportboards 20, and the two support boards 24. As shown for example in FIGS.1 and 4, storage shelves 28 are connected to the supports for storage ofbooks and the like.

A desk top 30 is affixed to the supports 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 toprovide a working surface for students. The desk top 30 is generallycoextensive with the frame 12 except that the rear edge 32 of the desktop is spaced from the rear support 22 a substantial distance, as shown,for example, in FIGS. 2 and 3. A panel unit 34 is connected by a hinge36 to the rear support 22 so as to allow the panel unit to be swung froma raised position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3 to a lowered positionshown in solid lines in FIG. 3. The panel unit 34 is shown in thelowered position in FIG. 1 and in the raised position in FIG. 5. Thepanel unit 34 includes a rear panel or screen panel 38 which forms aviewing screen in the raised position of the panel unit, and whichswings down to a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 3 wherein thefront edge of the rear panel 38 is flush with the rear edge 32 of thedesk top. In the lowered position, the panel 38 covers the space betweenthe rear edge 32 of the desk top and the rear support 22. Thus, thepanel 38 forms a rear extension of the desk top 30 when the panel 38 isin its lowered position.

The panel unit 34 also includes three wing panels 40, 42 and 44 whichare affixed to and project normally from the rear panel 38. There aretwo side panels 40 and 44 and a middle panel 42 which divide the desktop 30 into two equal working areas to accommodate two students and toprovide privacy for the students in the individual learning situations.When the panel unit 34 is in its raised position, the wing panels 40, 42and 44 extend forwardly across substantially the entire depth of thedesk as shown in FIG. 5. The desk top 30 and the front support 16 havecontoured recessed portions 46 and 48 which allow the student to sitclose to the desk and enter into the working areas confined by thepanels 40, 42 and 44 to afford relatively greater privacy for thestudent.

A latch member 50 is pivotally attached to the middle support 24 asshown in FIG. 6, there being a pivot pin 52 and another pin 54 which isreceived in a curved slot 56 in the member 50. The latch member 50 canbe swung to the left as viewed in FIG. 6 to hold the middle panel 42 inthe raised position, and can be moved to the right as shown in dashedlines to release the panel unit so that it can be lowered.

A slot 58 is formed in the desk top 30 to receive the middle panel 42when the panel unit 34 is swung clown to the lowered position. The othertwo wing panels 40 and 42 straddle the desk top 30 and the desk frame 12and are received in metal channel members 40 and 62 which are affixed tothe ends of the desk frame 12. The channel members 60 and 62 may havesoft material applied to the inside thereof to slidably engage the endwing panels 40 and 44 for guiding them as they are moved to the loweredposition. The cross members 64 provide another channel for receiving themiddle panel 42.

A hydraulic or pneumatic closer drive 66 (see particularly FIG. 4) isaffixed to the rear panel support 22, and is connected by an arm 68 tothe middle panel 42. As shown in FIG. 3, the arm 68 has a pin 70 whichis received in a slot 72 in a bracket 74 which is attached to the middlepanel 42. The closer drive 66 acts to retard the downward movement ofthe panel unit 34 to prevent slamming thereof when it is being lowered.

In order to accommodate audio visual equipment, the desk may be suitablywired. For this purpose, ear phone jacks may be provided in each deskhalf, with one jack connecting from the equipment to the desk andanother jack being used by the student for his earphones. A third jackmay be provided for the instructor to listen in on the student programfor the purpose of monitoring or responding to the student. An AC outletmay be located on the front support 16 to provide power for each deskhalf,

One important aspect of the two-position desk is that it occupies lessspace in the classroom and provides the student with a larger workingsurface when the side panels are in the retracted position, All side andmiddle panels operate simultaneously in a quiet and relativelyeffortless manner. When the panel unit 34 is retracted, the screen panel38 comes flush with the top of the desk enabling the student to work ona larger surface area with no obstructions. The guide channels 60 and 62guide the side panels 40 and 44, and the slot 58 provides a similarguiding function for the middle panel 42 so that the wing panels movevertically in a straight path such that they are not easily weakened orpulled out of place. The convertible desk can be fabricated relativelyeconomically so that it can be made available in large quantities atreasonable cost. Having thus defined our invention,

We claim:

1. A two-position learning center comprising a horizontal desk top, legssupporting said desk top at writing height for a seated person, a rearsupport connected to said desk top and said legs but spaced asubstantial distance to the rear of said desk top, a screen panelhingedly connected to said rear support and spanning the width of saiddesk top, said screen panel having a horizontal lowered position whereinsaid screen panel covers the space between said support and said desktop in flush relation with said desk top to form a rear extension ofsaid desk top, and said screen panel having a vertical raised positionwherein said screen panel provides a viewing screen for visualprojection spaced from the rear of said desk top, two side panels and amiddle panel projecting forwardly from said screen panel respectively atthe opposite sides and middle thereof to divide said desk into two pupilpositions, said desk top having a transverse slot extending from frontto rear thereof receiving said middle panel, and said side panelsclearing the sides of said desk top, so that said side and middle panelsmay be raised and lowered with said screen panel, said panels providingseparation of the two pupil positions from each other when in the raisedposition and being retractable to said lowered position wherein saidscreen panel enlarges the effective working area, means to retardlowering of said panels to inhibit slamming thereof, and means to holdsaid panels releasably in said raised position.

2. The learning center as claimed in claim 1 in which said retardingmeanscomprises a closer.

3. The learning center as claimed in claim 2 in which said closercomprises a hydraulic closer.

4. The learning center as claimed in claim 1 in which said holding meanscomprises a releaseable latch.

5. The learning center as claimed in claim 4 in which said latch isaffixed to said desk top at said slot to releasably engage said middlepanel.

6. The learning center as claimed in claim 1 including side bar memberssecured to and spaced from the sides of said desk top to receive saidside panels.

7. A convertible desk for two pupils comprising a frame, floor engaginglegs supporting said frame horizontally at writing height for a seatedperson, said frame including a rear support, a horizontal desk topaffixed to said frame and having a rear edge spaced horizontally fromsaid rear support, said desk top having sufficient width to accommodatetwo pupils seated side-by-side, a retractable panel unit comprising ascreen panel pivotally connected to said rear support, a pair of endpanels projecting generally forwardly from said screen panel topartially enclose said desk top, and a middle panel projecting forwardlyfrom said screen panel to divide said desk top into two working areasseparated from each other by said middle panel, said end panels clearingsaid desk top and said desk top having a central opening thereinreceiving said middle panel so that said panel unit may be pivoteddownward from a raised position to a lowered position wherein saidscreen panel covers the space between said rear support and said desktop to provide a rear extension of said desk top and said end and sidepanels hang downward from said screen panel, means to retard downwardmovement of said panel unit to prevent slamming thereof, and means tohold said panel unit releasably in said raised position.

8. The convertible desk as claimed in claim 7 in which said retardingmeans comprises a hydraulic closer.

9. A two-position desk with retractable panels comprising a rectangulardesk frame, floor-engaging legs supporting said desk frame horizontallyat writing level for seated persons, a desk top on said frame andcoextensive therewith except at the rear of said desk where said framehas a rear support spaced a substantial distance from the rear edge ofsaid desk top, said frame and said desk top being sufficiently wide toseat two persons side-by-side at the front thereof, and said desk topand said frame having two inwardly recessed portions at the frontthereof to receive the seated persons, a panel unit including a rearpanel and three wing panels all projecting normally from said rearpanel, two of said wing panels being located at opposite ends of saidrear panel to straddle said desk top and the third wing panel beinglocated at substantially the middle of said rear panel to divide saiddesk top into two working areas, said rear panel being dimensioned tocover said space between said rear support and said desk top when in alowered position substantially flush with said desk top, meansconnecting said panel unit to said frame for swinging movement betweensaid lowered position and a raised position wherein said wing panelsproject forwardly from said rear panel across substantially the entiredepth of said desk, means for releasably holding said panel unit in saidraised position, and means forming an opening centrally of said desk topto receive said third panel when said panel unit is lowered.

